Jan 9, 2009 0
You Should Get Out More
EMS had a policy in the mid-90s that required everyone in the corporate office to work for a week in one of the company’s retail stores. It’s a pretty common practice among retailers and a good idea any way you slice it. What’s too bad is that the employees of the brands sold in those chains don’t have the opportunity to spend a few days face to face with the outdoor specialty consumer in its natural habitat.
In my first stint (the Columbus Circle EMS store), I learned from the rest of the staff that if puffy jackets weren’t merchandised away from the front door, they would disappear and that a significant percentage of the shell-buying public thought that Gore-Tex® keeps you warm.
Manufacturer employees who lack the access or the inclination to spend a few days on the retail floor can compensate for in-store experience by being chatty. As unnatural as it is for some of us, acting like your elderly uncle Larry and striking up a conversation with everyone from the bank teller to the guy with the do-rag scalping Giants tickets has its advantages. Read the rest of this entry »